Hand Injury Compensation Claims
When a hand injury wasn't your fault
Your hands matter for almost everything you do, so a hand injury can affect your work and daily life. If someone else was at fault, you may be able to make a hand injury compensation claim. We will explain your options clearly and never pressure you.
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Can you make a hand injury compensation claim?
You may be able to make a hand injury claim if someone else was at fault, even in part. The deadline is three years, running from the accident or from the date you first connected the injury to their failure.
You can often still claim if you were partly responsible yourself. Hand injuries more often than most involve something the injured person also did: reaching in to clear a jam, working without the gloves, moving a guard that slowed the job down. The compensation is usually adjusted to reflect that, rather than ruled out. If you are not sure whether you can claim, our hand injury solicitors can look into it for you, with no obligation.
Hand, finger and thumb injury compensation amounts
These are the guideline brackets courts work from when valuing hand, finger and thumb injuries, taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, the reference judges and solicitors use across England and Wales.
Three things decide where a real claim lands inside them.
They cover the injury only
Pain, recovery and lasting loss of function. Lost earnings, treatment, travel and care are claimed separately as special damages.
For someone who works with their hands that second part is frequently larger than the bracket itself.
Medical evidence sets the position inside a bracket
Not the diagnosis. Two people with the same fracture can have very different claims, because one grips a steering wheel for a living and one does not.
That is why what the expert is asked to test matters as much as what the injury was.
Which hand it was changes the figure
The criminal injuries tariff further down this page pays £33,000 for loss of a non-dominant hand and £55,000 for a dominant one.
The same distinction runs through the guideline brackets, so say at the outset which hand was injured.
What the machinery regulations require
Two regulations set the standard an employer is measured against in most workplace hand claims, and they run in a strict order.
Three things decide where a real claim lands inside them.
PUWER 1998, regulation 11
Every employer must take measures effective to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery, or to stop it moving before any part of a person enters the danger zone.
The regulation sets a strict order: fixed guards first, then other guards or protection devices, then jigs, holders or push-sticks, and only then information, instruction, training and supervision. Regulation 11(3) also requires guards to be maintained in an efficient state and not be easily bypassed or disabled.
PPE at Work Regulations 1992, regulation 4
Employers must provide suitable protective equipment to anyone exposed to a risk, except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective. Gloves therefore come after guarding, not instead of it.
Regulation 4(3) also requires that equipment is capable of fitting the wearer correctly, so PPE that could not be fitted to you does not meet the standard the regulation sets.
Since 1 October 2013, when section 69 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 amended the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, a breach of these regulations is not by itself a right to sue. The claim is brought in negligence, and the regulation sets the standard the employer is measured against.
Source: Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, s.69
An employer who relied on training because guarding was inconvenient skipped three steps of an order the regulation lays down, and that is what the argument is about. Ask for the risk assessment for the task and any inspection or maintenance records for the machine at the start of the claim. We request them formally so they do not go missing.
Common causes of hand injuries
A hand injury compensation claim can follow almost any accident where someone else was at fault.
Accidents at work
Machinery, hand tools, crush injuries and lacerations, usually where guarding, maintenance or the right gloves were missing.
Ask for the risk assessment and the machine records for the task you were doing.
Road traffic accidents
Hands take the impact on a steering wheel, an airbag or the road, as a driver, passenger, cyclist or motorcyclist.
The claim is met by the other driver’s motor insurer.
Slips, trips and falls
Putting a hand out to break a fall is a common cause of hand fractures, and the occupier is responsible for the hazard that caused the fall.
Ask for the incident to be written down before you leave, and photograph what caused it.
Faulty products or tools
Equipment that was defective when supplied. Under section 2 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 the producer, own-brander or importer is liable without you proving carelessness.
A ten year cut-off runs from when the product was first supplied, so keep the item and the receipt.
Sports and leisure
Unsafe equipment, unsafe premises, or another person’s fault where the rules or supervision fell short.
Taking part in a sport accepts its ordinary risks, not a risk somebody else created by ignoring the rules.
Assaults
A hand injury from a violent crime is claimed through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority against a published tariff.
The amounts are in the next section, and the deadline is two years rather than three.
What the government scheme pays for a hand injury
If your hand was injured in a violent crime there is usually no insurer to claim against, so the state pays instead against a fixed tariff. You do not need a conviction and you do not need the attacker identified, but the crime must have been reported to the police and the application must normally be made within two years.
| Payment | Injury and tariff level |
|---|---|
| £110,000 | Loss of, or loss of function of, both handsTariff level A18 |
| £55,000 | Loss of, or loss of function of, one dominant handTariff level A16 |
| £33,000 | Loss of, or loss of function of, one non-dominant handTariff level A14 |
| £16,500 | Loss of thumbTariff level A10 |
| £16,500 | Permanently and seriously impaired grip, both handsTariff level A10 |
| £11,000 | Loss of two or more fingersTariff level A8 |
| £6,200 | Loss of index fingerTariff level A7 |
| £6,200 | Permanently and seriously impaired grip, one handTariff level A7 |
| £6,200 | Fractured wrist, one wrist, continuing significant disabilityTariff level A7 |
| £3,500 | Loss of a finger other than the index fingerTariff level A5 |
| £3,500 | Fractured hand, one hand, continuing significant disabilityTariff level A5 |
| £2,400 | Partial loss of thumb or index fingerTariff level A4 |
| £2,400 | Fracture or dislocation of thumb, one hand, continuing significant disabilityTariff level A4 |
Hand, finger and thumb injury compensation amounts
The table below shows the guideline brackets courts work from when valuing hand, finger and thumb injuries. They come from the Judicial College Guidelines, the reference judges and solicitors use across England and Wales.The table below shows the guideline brackets courts work from when valuing hand, finger and thumb injuries. They come from the Judicial College Guidelines, the reference judges and solicitors use across England and Wales.
Two things are worth understanding before you read them. These brackets cover the injury itself, meaning the pain, the recovery and any lasting loss of function. They do not include your financial losses, such as lost earnings, treatment costs or care, which are claimed separately and are often the larger part of a claim. And where your injury falls within a bracket depends on medical evidence about your own recovery, so no figure here is a prediction of what any individual claim is worth.
Hand injuries
| Injury | Guideline bracket |
|---|---|
| Total or effective loss of both hands | £120,040 to £171,920 |
| Total or effective loss of one hand | £82,040 to £93,540 |
| Serious damage to both handsPermanent cosmetic disability and significant loss of function | £47,550 to £72,150 |
| Serious hand injuryHand reduced to around 50 per cent capacity | £24,740 to £52,810 |
| Less serious hand injurySevere crush injury with significantly impaired function | £12,340 to £24,740 |
| Moderate hand injuryCrush injuries, penetrating wounds, soft tissue damage and deep lacerations | £4,780 to £11,330 |
Finger injuries
| Injury | Guideline bracket |
|---|---|
| Amputation of the index and middle and/or ring fingers | £52,810 to £77,430 |
| Severe fractures to fingersMay lead to partial amputation, deformity and impaired grip | Up to £31,350 |
| Amputation of the terminal phalanges of the index and middle fingers | In the region of £21,320 |
| Amputation of the ring and little fingers | In the region of £18,620 |
| Serious injury to the ring or middle fingers | £12,700 to £13,940 |
| Total or partial loss of the index finger | £10,380 to £15,990 |
| Fracture of the index fingerGrip impaired after recovery | £7,780 to £10,440 |
| Amputation of the little finger | £7,380 to £10,440 |
| Loss of the terminal phalanx of the ring or middle fingers | £3,370 to £6,720 |
| Loss of part of the little finger | £3,370 to £5,000 |
Thumb injuries
| Injury | Guideline bracket |
|---|---|
| Loss of the thumb | £30,300 to £46,780 |
| Very serious thumb injuryLeaving the thumb virtually useless | £16,720 to £29,860 |
| Serious thumb injuryImpaired grip and loss of dexterity | £10,750 to £14,310 |
| Moderate thumb injury | £8,250 to £10,750 |
| Severe dislocation of the thumb | £3,370 to £5,790 |
Evidence that supports a hand injury claim
You do not need everything before you get in touch. Here is what tends to help, and we can arrange the rest.
No records to hand? That is fine. With your permission we can request your medical notes and arrange an independent examination of your hand.
No Win No Fee hand injury claims
Where a claim can be taken on this basis, you can start without paying anything upfront. If the claim is not successful, you will not pay a fee for our work, subject to the terms of your agreement.
If the claim succeeds, an agreed success fee is deducted from your compensation, and insurance is usually put in place to cover the other side’s costs. Your hand injury solicitors will explain all of this clearly, in plain English, before you commit to anything.
You will see the full terms in writing before your claim begins.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most, answered plainly.
How do you make a hand injury claim?
Get your hand looked at, make sure the accident is reported, and then speak to a solicitor. From there we gather your medical records and evidence of how the accident happened, arrange an independent examination of your hand, and put the claim to the insurer of whoever was at fault. Most hand injury claims settle by negotiation without a court hearing.
How much can you claim for a hand injury?
There is no set amount, and no online calculator can value a hand injury properly. A claim is worked out in two parts: general damages for the injury itself and its effect on your life, and special damages for financial losses such as lost earnings, treatment and help at home. Courts use the Judicial College Guidelines as a guide to the first part, based on severity and recovery. Your solicitor will explain what your claim should include once the medical evidence is in.
Who actually pays my compensation?
Usually the insurer of whoever was at fault, such as an employer’s or a driver’s insurer, not the individual personally. If the injury was caused by a violent crime, a claim may instead go through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. We will identify the right route for you.
Can I claim for a hand injury from an assault?
You may be able to, through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which handles claims for injuries from violent crime in Great Britain. The rules and time limits are different from an ordinary injury claim, so it is best to talk it through with us early.
How long do I have to make a claim?
Usually three years from the date of the accident. There are exceptions: for someone under 18 the three years runs from their 18th birthday, where a person lacks the mental capacity to claim there may be no time limit, and CICA claims have their own separate deadline. It helps to ask us early, as evidence is easier to gather sooner.
What are interim compensation payments?
An interim payment is an early part-payment of compensation, made before the claim fully settles, where liability is accepted and there is a clear need. It can help with lost income or treatment while your claim continues. Whether one is available depends on the case, and we will tell you if it is an option.
Check if you can claim, free and in confidence
Tell us a little about what happened, and we will look into it and get back to you. There is no pressure and no obligation, and a first conversation is free.
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Start your hand injury claim
If your hand was injured in an accident that was not your fault, you have every right to ask whether you can claim. A first conversation is free, confidential and without any obligation.
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